Raymond Anthony Brand, 79, Imperial
Raymond Anthony Brand, 79, of Imperial died Feb. 13, 2022, in St. Louis. Mr. Brand was retired from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as veterans services officer after 30 years with the agency. Later he worked part time for 14 years for the Auto Club of Missouri (AAA). He was Catholic and was a member of the Missouri Knights of Columbus, serving at various times as grand knight, district deputy, state chairman and State Religious Information Bureau director. He also was trustee of the Arnold Eagles and received the Eagle of the Year Award in 2010. He was an active member of the Meramec Arnold Elks Lodge 2372 and was a trustee for three years and the public relations officer chairman, and he received the group’s Officer of the Year Award in 2019. He was a former member of the Arnold VFW Post 2593 Auxiliary. He also was part of the First Baptist Church of Arnold and the Grief Support Group from de Greeff Hospice House at Mercy Hospital South in St. Louis County. Born Dec. 30, 1942, in St. Louis, he was the son of the late Anna (Hornsberger) and Vern Brand.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 26 years: Marie (Tjeerdmsa) Brand.
He is survived by four children: Debbie Olmstead, Kathy Wetzel, Jeffrey Brand and Lisa Knierim; 14 grandchildren: Joseph (Christy) Dietrich, Amber (Ryan) Brown, Justin (Ashley) Dietrich, Gary (Megan) Wetzel, Jeremy Dietrich, James Olmstead, Brendan Olmstead, Matthew Knierim, Tyler and Ethan Brand, Brittany (Adam) Pfeil and Alex Payne; six great-grandchildren: Noah and Nolan Dietrich, Gary and Bailey Brown, and Gotham and Gunner Pfeil; and two cousins: Ron (Barb) Rohlfing and David (Kathy) Rohlfing.
He also was preceded in death by a grandson: Preston Wetzel.
Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until the funeral services at noon Saturday (Feb. 19) at Kutis South County Chapel, 5255 Lemay Ferry Road, in St. Louis County. Burial will be in St. Louis. Memorials may be made to the Make-A-Wish Foundation or the Salvation Army. Arrangements are under the direction of Kutis Funeral Homes.